Red robe. Ruff. Holding a scroll.
HE was the eldest son of Sir John Thynne of Longleat, by his second wife. He was Serjeant-at-Law, and married Barbara, daughter of Henry Calthorpe, whose brother was Lord Mayor of London. Aubrey has a strange story connected with him, in his Miscellanies, which is interesting to those who love the marvellous. One of Sir Egremont’s sisters married (as his second wife) Sir Walter Long of Draycot, county Wilts, and had several children; it would appear that this lady used every means in her power to induce her husband to disinherit his son by the first marriage, sowing dissension between the father and his first-born in a most unpardonable manner. She persuaded her brother, Sir Egremont Thynne, to draw up a paper, by which Sir Walter, if prevailed on to sign the same, cut off his eldest son from the inheritance. This was at Bath, during the Assizes, where the learned serjeant-at-law was engaged in his legal duties; Sir Egremont accordingly drew up the document, and gave it to his clerk one night, bidding him sit up and engross it.
The man set to work, but no sooner had he commenced, than he was startled by a shadow falling on the parchment; he looked up hastily, and perceived a hand between him and the candle; he rubbed his eyes, and roused himself to his work, in the belief that he was falling asleep. Once more came the dark blot on the deed, and this time he saw quite clearly a small, white, lady’s hand, that vanished each time, as he gazed on it. He flung down his pen in terror, and, hastening from the room, went and told his master he would have no more to do with so unpleasant a transaction. But Lady Long found some one else to do her bidding, and the obedient husband signed and sealed.
No good came, as may well be imagined, of such dealings. The rightful heir’s maternal relations rose in his defence, seized the body of Sir Walter (who died shortly afterwards) in the church porch, and began a law-suit against the second son, by which they compelled him to accept of a moiety of the property, and to relinquish the principal estate to his half, and elder, brother.
No. 26.
LOUISA VISCOUNTESS WEYMOUTH.
By Van Der Bank.
In a fancy dress of pink and black. Pearl ornaments. Aigrette in her hair.